Exactly a year after San Mateo County released a scathing report accusing former Sheriff Christina Corpus of misconduct and abuse of power — sparking a yearlong battle to remove her — supervisors on Wednesday voted 4-1 to appoint former Santa Clara Undersheriff Ken Binder as the county’s new sheriff.
Supervisors cited his experience in neighboring Santa Clara County — which shares a similar economic, geographic, and administrative profile with San Mateo County — as a key reason for their choice.
Binder was selected over David Lazar, a retired San Francisco police assistant chief, and Brian Wynn Huynh Travis, chief of police and director of public safety at Solano Community College. He is expected to remain in the role until January 2029, when the next elected sheriff takes office.
Currently the interim Gilroy police chief, Binder spent most of his 27-year law enforcement career with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, including a brief stint as acting sheriff in 2022 following the resignation of former Sheriff Laurie Smith.
The decision comes on the one-year anniversary of a county-commissioned report by retired Judge LaDoris Cordell, which detailed allegations of conflict of interest, retaliation, and misconduct by Corpus. The report triggered a protracted and costly fight, with the county disclosing more than $4.6 million in spending so far to remove Corpus, who continues to challenge the process.
The day the report was released, Deputy Sheriffs’ Association President Carlos Tapia was arrested on suspicion of timecard fraud — an action union leaders said was retaliatory for his criticism of Corpus. While District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe declined to file criminal charges, Tapia remains on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
Corpus, the county’s first Latina sheriff, was elected in 2022 and removed last month, becoming the first sheriff in California to be ousted by a county board. Her removal followed a voter-approved charter amendment giving the Board of Supervisors the authority to remove a sheriff with cause by a four-fifths vote until 2028. The decision came after a two-week hearing in August, during which a hearing officer found she had engaged in conflicts of interest and retaliation while in office.
Corpus has denied allegations against her, including claims that Tapia’s arrest was retaliatory, insisting it stemmed from a legitimate timecard fraud investigation. She has appeals pending and maintains that her removal violated her rights and due process.
While the fight to remove Corpus took a year, selecting her replacement moved at lightning speed. Applications closed on Nov. 5, followed by supervisor interviews last Thursday and a public forum on Monday — a process that lasted roughly a week.
Supervisors opted for an appointment process rather than hold another special election or wait until the November 2026 general election — a decision that sparked community debate and drew opposition from Board President David Canepa and Supervisor Jackie Speier, who pushed for voters to decide but were outnumbered.
Supporters of an appointment said it was more important to quickly install a leader who could stabilize a department that has faced years of turmoil under back-to-back administrations marked by scandal.
During a forum last week, Binder emphasized his experience as a stabilizing force when he served as interim sheriff following Smith’s resignation amid a civil corruption trial over an alleged “pay-to-play” concealed carry weapons permits scheme.
“I had a level of respect there where I was able to provide some stability to the organization. And when we had issues, I was the one who worked directly with the unions to get things accomplished and move the agency forward,” Binder said.
At a public forum Monday night, Binder said his first priority over the next 90 days will be to build an executive team and make key hiring decisions to implement reforms, including installing leaders “that have the respect and trust of the organization” and either reinstating individuals “unfairly” investigated by internal affairs or holding accountable those with legitimate issues.
“But we need to do it fast. We can’t let that linger,” Binder said.
He previously said he plans to include former Assistant Sheriff Ryan Monaghan, whom Corpus fired in September 2024, and former Undersheriff Chris Hsiung, who resigned in June 2024, on his executive team. Both testified against Corpus during the August removal hearings.
Despite a massive show of support for Lazar from the San Francisco community earlier this week, Aisha Baro of San Mateo County spoke on behalf of Binder.
“I was personally very moved by Ken Binder’s humility and his desire to place his staff first, along with his commitment to bringing in leaders who have the respect of staff and the community, such as Chris Hsiung,” Baro said.